Applicator for applying a cosmetic product

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an applicator for applying a cosmetic product, such as a mascara, including a gripping member, a stem extending along a longitudinal axis and having, along said longitudinal axis, a first end secured to the gripping member and a second, opposite end, an applicator member for applying the cosmetic product, which is secured to the second end of the stem and includes a brush comprising a core and bristles that are held by the core in a portion of the core bearing the bristles, the bristles having free ends that define an envelope surface, and a comb having a plurality of application elements borne by a holder, wherein the holder of the comb is made in one piece with the stem.

The present invention relates to an applicator for applying a cosmetic product, notably a product for making up the eyelashes and/or eyebrows, such as a mascara, comprising:

a gripping member;

a stem extending along a longitudinal axis and having, along said longitudinal axis, a first end secured to the gripping member and a second, opposite end;

an applicator member for applying the cosmetic product, which is secured to the second end of the stem and comprises:

-   -   a brush comprising a core and bristles that are held by the core         in a portion of the core bearing the bristles, the bristles         having free ends that define an envelope surface; and     -   a comb having a plurality of application elements borne by a         holder.

The documents FR2916328 and EP1475013 describe applicators of this kind, in which the comb and the brush are in the form of attached elements that are each fastened to the free end of the stem via one of their ends. Moreover, in the applicators according to those documents, the comb and the brush are joined together at their opposite ends from those that are fastened to the free end of the stem.

Thus, in the applicators according to those documents, the fitting of the applicator member on the stem requires a step of assembling the brush and the comb, followed by a step of jointly fastening the brush and the comb forming the applicator member at the free end of the stem, thereby making the method of fitting the applicator member on the stem relatively laborious and costly.

Moreover, in applicators of this kind, there is a risk of a clearance existing between the comb and the stem after the applicator member has been fastened, notably on account of the manufacturing tolerances of these elements, or of such a clearance arising in the course of the applicator being used, and notably after the applicator member has passed multiple times through a wiping member provided in the neck of a container which contains a cosmetic product and to which the applicator is joined.

The present invention has the object of remedying all or some of these drawbacks and to this end proposes an applicator of the abovementioned type, in which the holder of the comb is made in one piece with the stem.

By virtue of these provisions, the assembly of the applicator and in particular the fastening of the applicator member to the stem is simplified; specifically, since the holder of the comb of the applicator member is made integrally with the stem, the stem and the holder of the comb being moulded, for example, notably injection-moulded, from one and the same plastics material or two plastics materials that are co-injected or overmoulded, the fastening of the applicator member to the stem of the applicator amounts to a simple step of fastening the brush to the stem.

Such a step of fastening a brush, in particular a brush with a twisted core gripping fibres that form the bristles of the brush, to the end of a stem is well known in the field and widely used in industry. Thus, by virtue of the provisions of the invention, the industrial cost of the step of assembling the applicator and in particular the fastening of the applicator member to the stem is reduced.

Furthermore, by virtue of the provisions of the invention, the robustness of the applicator, and in particular of the fastening of the applicator member to the stem, is improved.

Finally, by virtue of the provisions of the invention, an applicator is obtained that makes it possible to achieve new application results, in particular for making up the eyelashes and/or eyebrows, allowing a good compromise between loading the eyelashes and/or eyebrows with makeup product, typically with mascara, and separating the eyelashes and/or eyebrows.

According to other advantageous aspects, the applicator according to the invention includes one or more of the following features, taken separately or in any technically possible combinations:

the application elements of the comb are teeth. In this embodiment, the loading of the eyelashes and/or eyebrows with makeup product, typically with mascara, is essentially ensured by the brush of the applicator, and the separation of the eyelashes and/or eyebrows is essentially ensured by the comb of the applicator. In a variant, the application elements borne by the comb can be formed by flocked fibres on the holder of the comb. In this embodiment, the loading of the eyelashes and/or eyebrows with makeup product, typically with mascara, is ensured both by the brush and the flocked comb of the applicator, and the separation of the eyelashes and/or eyebrows is essentially ensured by the brush of the applicator. In another variant, the application elements borne by the comb comprise both teeth and flocked fibres, the comb ensuring both the function of loading the eyelashes and/or eyebrows with makeup product, typically with mascara, and the function of separating the eyelashes and/or eyebrows.

the core of the brush extends along a longitudinal axis that corresponds preferably to the longitudinal axis of the stem, and the holder of the comb extends along a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the core. In a variant, since the brush has, along its longitudinal axis, a first end secured to the stem and a free second end, the longitudinal axis of the holder of the comb forms a non-zero angle with the longitudinal axis of the brush, these longitudinal axes converging in the direction of the free end of the brush.

the stem has an outer peripheral surface and the holder of the comb has a face oriented towards the core of the brush and an opposite face bearing the application elements, the face of the holder bearing the application elements being substantially flush with the outer peripheral surface of the stem.

the core of the brush has a portion without bristles that is held inside a housing provided at the second end of the stem in order to fasten the brush to the stem. The portion of the brush without bristles can advantageously be held by clamping or be crimped inside the housing of the stem.

the holder of the comb has a first end joined to the stem and a free opposite second end. The comb thus extends in a cantilevered manner from the free end of the stem and is not fastened directly to the brush. The applicator member according to the invention is thus formed of a brush and a comb that are joined together only by way of the stem.

the core of the brush extends along a longitudinal axis that corresponds preferably to the longitudinal axis of the stem, and the portion of the core bearing the bristles has a length measured along its longitudinal axis that is greater than or equal to the length of the comb measured along this same longitudinal axis.

the envelope surface has a longitudinal groove in which the holder of the comb extends.

the groove is longitudinally continuous and extends in cross section through an angular range of between 10° and 90°, preferably around 60°.

the brush has an angular portion which extends along the longitudinal axis, is situated in line with the comb and in which the bristles are diverted by the comb such that the cross section of the brush has a greater density of bristles at the lateral edges of the comb than around the rest of its circumference. By virtue of these provisions, two longitudinal zones, in which the bristles of the brush are denser, are created at the lateral edges of the comb, these zones favouring the combing of the eyelashes and/or eyebrows.

with the envelope surface having a cross section defining an outer contour, the teeth of the comb each having a first end secured to the holder and a free second end, the free ends of the teeth of the comb are situated substantially at or protrude beyond the outer contour of the cross section of the envelope surface at least in a part of the portion of the core bearing the bristles.

The present invention also relates to a device for packaging and applying a cosmetic product, notably a product for making up the eyelashes and/or eyebrows, such as a mascara, comprising:

a container containing a product to be applied,

an applicator as described above.

A further subject of the invention is a method for making up the eyelashes or eyebrows, in which the brush of the applicator according to the invention is used in particular to load the eyelashes or eyebrows and the comb is used in particular to separate them.

The invention may be understood better from reading the following description of non-limiting exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a longitudinal section through a device for packaging and applying a cosmetic product according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the applicator member employed at the free end of the stem of the applicator according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a view in longitudinal section of the applicator in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view in cross section on the line IV-IV of the applicator member in FIG. 3.

FIG. 1 shows a device 10 for packaging and applying a cosmetic product, employing an applicator 1 according to the invention.

As can be seen in this FIG. 1, the device 10 comprises a container 6 intended to hold the cosmetic product and an applicator 1 for applying a cosmetic product that can be selectively fastened to the container 6 in order to be loaded with cosmetic product and withdrawn from the container 6 in order to apply cosmetic product to a surface to be treated.

In the exemplary embodiments illustrated, the cosmetic product is a mascara composition intended to be applied to the eyelashes and/or eyebrows of a user's eyes.

The applicator 1 according to the invention comprises a gripping member 2 intended to be grasped and handled by the user in order to load the applicator 1 with product and apply the loaded product to the eyelashes and/or eyebrows.

The gripping member 2 of the applicator 1 may constitute a cap for closing the container 6.

The applicator 1 also comprises a stem 3 extending along a longitudinal axis X and having, along this longitudinal axis X, a first end 31 secured to the gripping member 2 and a second end 32 at the opposite end from the first end 31.

As can be seen more particularly in FIGS. 2 to 4, the applicator 1 finally comprises an applicator member 4 for applying the cosmetic product that is secured to the second end 32 of the stem 3.

The container 6 may be provided with a wiping member 7 for removing the excess product present on the stem 3 and on the applicator member 4. This wiping member 7 comprises, for example, a lip made of an elastomer material, defining a wiping orifice which preferably has a circular cross section, the diameter of which corresponds substantially to that of the stem 3.

The applicator member 4 of the applicator according to the invention, sometimes referred to as hybrid applicator member, comprises a brush 40 and a comb 50, the combination of these two elements of different natures giving the applicator member this hybrid character.

The brush 40 comprises a core 41 and bristles 42 that are held by the core 41 in a portion 410 of the core bearing the bristles 42.

The brush 40 may have between 100 and 300 bristles 42, better still between 150 and 250 bristles 42, for example around 200 bristles 42.

The core 41 of the brush 40 may be constituted of a wire folded in a U-shape and twisted to form turns, the core 41 having between 10 and 30 turns, better still between 15 and 25 turns, for example around 17 turns.

When the core 41 is twisted, the number of bristles 42 per turn may thus be greater than 5, better still between 10 and 30 bristles per turn, for example around 12 bristles 42 per turn of the core. The “number of bristles per turn” denotes the number of bristle ends counted for a rotation of 180° about the longitudinal axis X of the core 41.

The core 41 may be twisted to the left or to the right. The bristles 42 may extend from the core 41 in two helical layers. The number of turns corresponds to the total number of revolutions of the two layers about the core 41. The bristles 42 may be made of a natural or synthetic material, for example chosen from PP, PA, PET, PS, PE or PVC. The bristles 42 may have a magnetic filler or one for improving sliding, for example graphite, PTFE or molybdenum disulfide.

As can be seen in particular in FIG. 2, the core 41 of the brush has a portion 410 bearing the bristles 42 and a portion 411 without bristles 42.

The second end 32 of the stem 3 has a housing 33 that opens out at this second end 32 and is designed to hold, for example by clamping, the portion 411 of the core 41 of the brush 40 without bristles 42 in order to fasten the brush 40 to the stem. In a variant or in addition, the portion 411 of the core 41 of the brush 40 may be crimped in the housing 33 provided at the second end 32 of the stem 3.

The comb 50 comprises a holder 52 bearing a plurality of teeth 51. In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the holder 52 of the comb bears a single row of teeth 51 aligned along a longitudinal axis X1 of the holder 52. In a variant, the holder 52 of the comb 50 may bear a plurality of rows of teeth 51 and/or teeth 51 arranged in a staggered configuration along the longitudinal axis X1.

A “tooth” denotes an individualizable projecting element intended to come into engagement with the eyelashes and/or eyebrows. The teeth 51 may be made from the same material as the holder 52 of the comb 50 or from a different material.

The height and shape of the teeth 51 can in particular be varied during the manufacture of the applicator member 4 in order to adjust the level to which the applicator is loaded with product after wiping.

The distribution of the teeth 51 and notably of the teeth 51 in one row of teeth may make it possible to obtain a good compromise between the possibility of collecting product between the teeth 51 and thus creating reserves of product, and good performance levels in terms of separation of the eyelashes.

The height of at least one tooth, better still of each tooth or of the majority of the teeth, measured from the holder to the free end of the tooth and perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis X1 of the holder 52, may be between 0.5 mm and 4 mm.

Preferably, the height of the teeth varies along the longitudinal axis X1 of the holder 52.

The teeth 51 advantageously have a conical shape. In variants, the teeth 51 have any other shape, notably a semi-conical, cylindrical or tapered, frustoconical or pyramidal shape, notably with a hexagonal base. The teeth 51 may be as described in the application EP3010367. When the teeth 51 have a tapered shape, for example a conical or semi-conical shape, the degree of convergence in the direction of the vertex, that is to say the vertex angle of the cone in the case of conical or semi-conical surfaces, may vary between at least two teeth 51 of the row.

All the teeth of the rows may have a similar shape, for example a conical shape. In a variant, several teeth at least of one and the same row have dissimilar shapes, with for example semi-conical teeth and conical teeth.

The cross section of the teeth 51 may have a substantially semi-circular (referred to as half-moon), circular, elliptical or semi-elliptical shape, or may also be, for example, polygonal, notably hexagonal.

At least one tooth 51 may be terminated by a rounded, notably hemispherical or demi-hemispherical, free end, the radius of curvature of which is for example between 0.08 mm and 0.2 mm.

The teeth 51 may have a thickness of between 0.2 mm and 0.9 mm, better still between 0.3 mm and 0.8 mm. The “thickness of a tooth” denotes the greatest transverse dimension of the tooth, in cross section, perpendicularly to the elongation axis of the tooth and to the longitudinal axis X1 of the holder 52.

The teeth 51 may have a width of between 0.2 mm and 1.2 mm, better still between 0.3 mm and 1 mm. The “width of a tooth” denotes the greatest transverse dimension of the tooth, in cross section, along the longitudinal axis X1 of the holder 52.

The holder 52 and/or the teeth 51 may be moulded from one and the same material, or in a variant they can be made from at least two different materials. In variants, the teeth 51 are overmoulded on the holder 52, or produced by bi-injection-moulding.

According to the invention, the holder 52 of the comb 50 of the applicator member 4 is produced in one piece/is integral with the stem 3 of the applicator 1.

The holder 52 of the comb 50 and the stem 3 are advantageously produced by injection-moulding one and the same plastics material, notably a thermoplastic material such as polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyoxymethylene (POM), glycolized polyethylene terephthalate (PETG), or polypropylene (PP).

In a variant, the application elements 51 borne by the comb 50 can be formed by flocked fibres on the holder 52 of the comb 50.

Advantageously, the holder 52 of the comb 50 has a first end 521 connected to the stem 3 and a free opposite second end 522.

According to one provision of the invention, the core 41 of the brush 40 extends along a longitudinal axis X′ corresponding preferably to the longitudinal axis X of the stem 3.

The holder 52 of the comb extends along a longitudinal axis X1 parallel to the longitudinal axis X, X′ of the stem and of the core 41 of the brush 40.

In a variant, and as illustrated in FIG. 3, with the brush 40 having, along its longitudinal axis X′, a first end 401 secured to the stem 3 and a free second end 402, the longitudinal axis X1 of the holder 52 of the comb 50 forms a non-zero angle a, for example of around 5°, with the longitudinal axis X′ of the brush 40, these longitudinal axes X1, X′ converging in the direction of the free end of the brush.

According to one advantageous provision of the invention that can be seen in particular in FIGS. 2 and 3, the stem 3 has an outer peripheral surface 30 and the holder 52 of the comb 50 has a face 523 oriented towards the core 41 of the brush 40 and an opposite face 520 bearing the teeth 51, the face 520 of the holder 52 bearing the teeth 51 being substantially flush with the outer peripheral surface 30 of the stem 3. Thus, the holder 52 of the comb 50 is in the form of an extension, an appendix of the stem 3, and no discontinuities, potentially dangerous to the user, are formed between the outer peripheral surface 30 of the stem 3 and the face 520 of the holder 52 of the comb 50 bearing the teeth 51.

Moreover, as can be seen in FIG. 3, the portion 410 of the core 41 bearing the bristles 42 has a length L measured along its longitudinal axis X′, and the comb 50 has, between its first end 521 connected to the stem 3 and its free opposite second end 522, a length L1 projected onto this longitudinal axis X′ that is less than or equal to the length L.

Therefore, an axial zone exists along the longitudinal axis X′ of the core 41 of the brush 40, situated here close to the free end of the applicator member 4, in which the applicator member is constituted only by the brush 40. Such a zone may for example serve advantageously for making up the eyelashes at the corner of the eye with precision.

As can be seen in particular in FIGS. 2 to 4, the free ends of the bristles 42 define an envelope surface S of the brush 40. In the example shown, this envelope surface S is substantially in the form of a cylinder of revolution about the longitudinal axis X′ and has, along this axis X′, starting from the end of the portion 410 of the brush 40 bearing the bristles 42 that is situated on the stem 3 side towards the free end of this portion 410, a first frustoconical portion S1, the small base of which is located at the end of the portion 410 of the brush 40 bearing the bristles 42 that is situated on the stem 3 side, a second frustoconical portion S2 that is directly adjacent to the first frustoconical portion S1 and narrows in the direction of the free end of the portion 410 of the core 41 bearing the bristles 42, and a third frustoconical portion S3 that is directly adjacent to the second frustoconical portion S2, narrows in the direction of the free end of the portion 410 of the core 41 bearing the bristles 42 and has a larger vertex angle than that of the second frustoconical portion S2.

Moreover, and as can be seen in FIG. 4, the envelope surface S of the brush 40 has a longitudinal groove 43 in which the holder 52 of the comb 50 extends.

In this groove 43, the bristles 42 of the brush 40 have been shaved down to level with the core 41 or to a length measured from the core of around 1 to 2 mm.

By virtue of these provisions, a situation is avoided in which the comb is deformed, and in particular bent outwards in the radial direction by the bristles 42 of the brush that have been squashed under the holder 52 of the comb 50.

Advantageously, the groove 43 is longitudinally continuous along the longitudinal axis X′ of the core 41 of the brush 40 and extends in cross section through an angular range β of between 10° and 90°, and preferably around 60°, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

In this embodiment in FIG. 4, the comb 50, and more particularly the holder 52 of the comb 50, can extend through an angular range smaller than, equal to or greater than the angular range β of the longitudinal groove 43 formed in the brush 40.

In a variant, and as shown in FIG. 5, it is possible for the envelope surface S of the brush 40 not to have such a groove and for the holder 52 of the comb 50 to squash and/or divert the bristles 42 of the brush 40 when it is fitted on the stem 3.

Thus, the brush 40 has an angular portion β′ which extends along the longitudinal axis X′, is situated in line with the comb 50 and in which the bristles 42 are diverted by the comb 50 such that the cross section of the brush 40 has a greater density of bristles 42 at the lateral edges of the comb 50 than around the rest of its circumference. In this way, two longitudinal zones in which the bristles 42 of the brush 40 are denser are created at the lateral edges 524, 525 of the comb 50 in the circumferential direction, these zones favouring the combing of the eyelashes and/or eyebrows.

As can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5 in particular, the envelope surface S of the brush 40 has a cross section that defines an outer contour C and the teeth 51 of the comb 50 each have a first end 511 secured to the holder 52 and a free second end 512.

Advantageously, the free ends 512 of the teeth 51 of the comb 50 are situated substantially at or protrude beyond the outer contour C of the cross section of the envelope surface S at least over a part of the portion 410 of the core 41 bearing the bristles 42.

Thus, this part of the applicator member 4, in which the free ends 512 of the teeth 51 project from/protrude beyond the outer contour C of the envelope surface of the brush 40, will be particularly advantageous for realizing good combing/good separation of the eyelashes/eyebrows.

In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in the figures, the free ends 512 of the teeth 51 borne by the holder 52 of the comb project from the outer contour C of the cross section of the envelope surface S along the entire length L1 of the comb 50.

Although, in the preceding description, the applicator 1 employs only one comb 50, provision may be made for the applicator to employ a plurality of combs 50, uniformly or non-uniformly distributed around the longitudinal axis X of the stem 3, without departing from the scope of the present invention. These combs 50 may advantageously bear application elements of different natures, for example a comb bearing teeth and a comb bearing flocking, or application elements of the same nature, for example teeth, but having different characteristics, for example different heights, different tooth cross sections, different materials, etc. 

1. An applicator for applying a cosmetic product, notably a product for making up the eyelashes and/or eyebrows, such as a mascara, comprising: a gripping member; a stem extending along a longitudinal axis and having, along said longitudinal axis, a first end secured to the gripping member and a second, opposite end; an applicator member for applying the cosmetic product, which is secured to the second end of the stem and comprises: a brush comprising a core and bristles that are held by the core in a portion of the core bearing the bristles, the bristles having free ends that define an envelope surface; and a comb having a plurality of application elements borne by a holder, wherein the holder of the comb is made in one piece with the stem.
 2. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the application elements of the comb are teeth.
 3. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the core of the brush extends along a longitudinal axis that corresponds preferably to the longitudinal axis of the stem, and the holder of the comb extends along a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the core.
 4. The Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the stem has an outer peripheral surface and the holder of the comb has a face oriented towards the core of the brush and an opposite face bearing the application elements, the face of the holder bearing the application elements being substantially flush with the outer peripheral surface of the stem.
 5. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the core of the brush has a portion without bristles that is held inside a housing provided at the second end of the stem in order to fasten the brush to the stem.
 6. The Applicator according to claim 1, wherein the holder of the comb has a first end joined to the stem and a free opposite second end.
 7. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the core of the brush extends along a longitudinal axis that corresponds preferably to the longitudinal axis of the stem, and the portion of the core bearing the bristles has a length measured along its longitudinal axis that is greater than or equal to the length of the comb measured along this same longitudinal axis.
 8. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the envelope surface has a longitudinal groove in which the holder of the comb extends.
 9. The applicator according to claim 8, wherein the groove is longitudinally continuous and extends in cross section through an angular range of between 10° and 90°, preferably around 60°.
 10. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the brush has an angular portion which extends along the longitudinal axis, is situated in line with the comb and in which the bristles are diverted by the comb such that the cross section of the brush has a greater density of bristles at the lateral edges of the comb than around the rest of its circumference.
 11. The applicator according to claim 2, wherein, with the envelope surface having a cross section defining an outer contour, the teeth of the comb each having a first end secured to the holder and a free second end, the free ends of the teeth of the comb are situated substantially at or protrude beyond the outer contour of the cross section of the envelope surface at least in a part of the portion of the core bearing the bristles.
 12. A device for packaging and applying a cosmetic product, notably a product for making up the eyelashes and/or eyebrows, such as a mascara, comprising: a container containing a product to be applied; an applicator according to claim
 1. 